Though he spoke of "the grave issues raised by the abuses in London and the rough trade of the tabloid market there" he did so in the context of the need to maintain a free press.

Thomson, regarded as one of Rupert Murdoch's closest friends, said the journalists at his paper had been "absolutely honourable in covering the London hacking story, in which very serious issues of illegality and immorality have been raised."

He suggested that rival newspapers had been less honourable with their coverage because they advanced their own agendas. He said:

"Some of our competitors have been a tad less virtuous. They have a conflict perspective even though they are absolutely conflicted.

Allergic as I am to the prize culture, I am contemplating casting a stately statue and awarding an annual perversity prize to a media organisation which most abysmally and conflictedly covers another media organisation. There is quite a lineup of potential winners this year."